1. Field of the Invention
The subject matter of this specification is in the field of disc jockey table simulation apparatuses and related methods.
2. Background of the Invention
The turntable, or variations of it, have been used to play music since the 1940's and with the rise of turntables came the term disc jockey (DJ), which refers to an individual who arranges and mixes musical records.
Today, DJs can be seen operating in a multitude of genres and implementing a variety of techniques. One of these areas is the art of turntablism, which emerged from the hip hop culture in the 1970's. At this time, artists began producing unique sounds and effects over recorded music by manipulating a record on a turntable. As the art progressed, DJs began developing several different techniques to manipulate a record, such as “scratching,” “beat juggling,” and “the break-beat.” Generally, DJs have to practice these techniques in front of a basic DJ setup, which may consist of one or two turntables, slipmats, and a crossfader mixer.
One of the common turntablism techniques that produces a distinctive sound is “Scratching,” which involves moving the record back and forth on the turntable. Another popular DJ technique, and a variation of “scratching,” is the “crab scratch,” which involves a specific manipulation of the cross fader with the DJs fingers. Mastering these techniques requires countless hours of practice in front of turntables to build up muscle memory and develop the ability to manipulate the record and crossfader with precision.
With the equipment in mind, DJs may have difficulty finding time to practice because DJ equipment can be expensive and burdensome to transport. Thus, a need exists for an affordable and portable DJ table simulation and training device that allows DJs to practice manipulating the record and the cross fader in just about any setting, from on a bus, to sitting on a couch.
Currently, there are apparatuses and designs that allow a DJ to practice, but they are not realistic DJ table simulation and training devices. One example is U.S. Pat. No. 8,153,881 by Coppard et al., which teaches a DJ video game controller that allows the user to press and manipulate buttons in response to instructive cues. However, this DJ video game controller does not allow for realistic practice because there is no record to manipulate.
Therefore, no apparatus exists that allows a DJ to practice manipulating a record and cross fader without being in front of a full turntable and mixer set. Thus, there remains a need for DJs to practice their scratching and DJ techniques in virtually any environment without requiring them to pack up their DJ equipment and bringing it with them wherever they want to practice.